Floriculture emerges as excellent alternative source of livelihood in the Hills

Amitava Banerjee, MP, 15 Nov 2023, Darjeeling: Arpan Emmanuel Rai gave up his 10-year-old job with an NGO to grow plants as a commercial venture and he has no regrets. Many like Rai have etched success stories of floriculture as an alternative means of livelihood in the Hills of Darjeeling and Kalimpong. 

Floriculture can be promoted along with tourism in the Hills, feel many. 

“There is immense prospect of floriculture in the Hills. After having quit my job with an NGO, I took this up. I have started expanding my business. There is a lot of scope both locally and pan India. I have an outlet in Darjeeling. 

The plants are in great demand among the locals as well as tourists. I even sell plants online, pan India. Not only as a commercial venture, I enjoy the joy of creation, engaging in hybrid and cross pollination, getting new shades of flowers,” stated Rai. 

Sylvester Rai, of Liza Hill, Darjeeling is another success story. He is known all over the globe as the “Haworthia Breeder” for his success in breeding rare Howorthia plants. He had taken up floriculture commercially in 2007 and has helped around 100 families of Liza Hill to take up floriculture commercially. 

Now Liza Hill has its own local flower market. 

“People should engage in growing those plants that don’t grow in the plains. Those who have less space should grow rare plants like rare Queen Anthurium that sell for thousands of rupees. 

Darjeeling Hills are excellent for growing Astrophytums and Phylodendrons. Chrysanthemums have excellent local markets whereas Agelia can be sold pan India, Nepal and Bhutan,” stated Sylvester Rai while talking to Millennium Post. 

A three-day-long Darjeeling Flower Festival organised by the Sonanda Floricultural Society was a runaway success and an eye opener. 

“There were 28 stalls in the second edition of the flower festival organised this year. Many plants were sold off as soon as they were put on display. The government should create a “local to global platform” for the plant growers. 

At present we can take our plants upto Siliguri, a distance of around 70 km. If adequate infrastructure, including warehouses, logistic support, soft loans we will definitely create a niche in the global market,” stated Rashik Chhetri, organiser. 

“Floriculture can go hand in hand with tourism. Along with tourism, the government can also promote floriculture of the Hills. There is immense prospect owing to the climate, specially for growing the English variety of Chrysanthemums. 

A Flower Zone or a flower market can be promoted in these parts,” suggested Rajiv Bhowmick, judge for the flower competition of the flower festival. 

“Every household in the Hills grow flowers so why not take this up commercially. We can definitely do wonders if we take up floriculture as a livelihood. With this in mind we started the flower festival,” added Rajat Thakuri, organiser. 

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/floriculture-emerges-as-excellent-alternative-source-of-livelihood-in-the-hills-540412